MISSION VIEJO - The 2015 Ed Arnold Golf Classic, hosted by the Santa Ana College Athletic Hall of Fame and the Santa Ana College Foundation, was hosted on May 4 at Mission Viejo Country Club.
The annual golf tournament, which raises money for the Athletic Hall of Fame, the athletic department, and student-athlete scholarships, was a success once again as golfers enjoyed great weather on the course before attending the Awards Dinner hosted by SAC Hall of Famer Ed Arnold.
The Awards Dinner featured the presentation of the student-athlete scholarship winners, a live auction, the presentation of tournament winners, and a special recognition for Athletic Hall of Famer Bruce Gelker.
Receiving scholarships this year were the Male and Female Scholar Athletes of the Years as well as members of SAC's baseball, women's basketball, football and women's soccer teams. Joe Covarrubias (football, Male Scholar Athlete of the Year) and Vanessa Ramirez (women's basketball, Female Scholar Athlete of the Year) were the first to receive their awards before SAC Athletic Hall of Fame Chairman Ken Purcell presented scholarships to Marcy Cervantes (women's soccer), A.J. Franks (baseball), Troy Kurtz (football) and Lisa Tran (women's basketball).
Each student-athlete received a scholarship for $1,500, bringing the total of scholarship money presented by the Athletic Hall of Fame to $90,000.
Following the presentation of scholarships was a special recognition for Bruce and Lisa Gelker (pictured to the left) after the couple made a $100,000 donation to Santa Ana College. As part of the recognition, Bruce was presented a custom letterman's jacket from Athletic Hall of Fame Chairman Ken Purcell.
Bruce played football, baseball and basketball at Santa Ana College from 1941-1942 before moving on to the University of Southern California. He was inducted into the Santa Ana College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006, before being recognized again when the 1942 National Championship Football Team was inducted in 2010.
The tournament was a four-person, team-scramble format with awards presented to flight champions and winners of the closest-to-the pin, longest drive and putting contests.
In 2003, the SAC Athletic Hall of Fame Golf Classic was renamed the Ed Arnold Golf Classic in honor of SAC Hall of Fame member (1980), SAC Athletic Hall of Fame member (2009) and Orange and Los Angeles Counties broadcasting legend Ed Arnold.
Following his tour of duty with the United States Marine Corp, in 1966, Arnold graduated from SAC where he earned an associate of arts degree in business and played football for the Dons before transferring to California State University, Long Beach to earn his bachelor's degree in broadcasting.
For more information on the Ed Arnold Golf Classic or the Athletic Hall of Fame, contact the SAC Sports Information Department at (714) 564-6934 or send an email to:kehler_jason@sac.edu.